Neurofeedback Treatment for Insomnia and Sleep Disorders
Do you have sleepless nights or restless sleep? Neurofeedback therapy is an effective treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Many patients with serious sleep issues that are treated with neurofeedback report significant improvements in their sleep patterns and overall quality of life. They are able to fall asleep and stay asleep. And feel well rested when they wake!
“My results are nothing short of miraculous. After 20 sessions, I was off all of my meds. I was able to RESPOND to conflict and stress instead of REACT. I hadn’t realized how exhausted I was until I actually started sleeping better. My brain actually feels smart again. I am convinced I regained the IQ points I seemed to have lost since having kids. I’m able to make business decisions quickly and efficiently again. We saw such a transformation in how I was feeling and living that my husband and both my sons are getting the biofeedback sessions as well. Our older son was born a “bad sleeper,” and at 13, though accustomed to it, I could tell it was starting to take a toll. We, of course, tried everything but were seemingly at a loss. After just 5 sessions, he reported that he was still waking at night but was now actually able to get back to sleep on his own and quickly. Before neurofeedback, he would often just lie awake waiting for morning to roll around.” – Beata L.
Frequently Asked Questions
Insomnia and other sleep disorders have been linked to the brain being unable to properly process information due to cortical hyper-arousal. This creates abnormal brainwave patterns and functions in specific areas of the brain. We begin with a qEEG brain scan which identifies locations of the brain that show this over-arousal commonality. Using the drug-free, noninvasive process of neurofeedback, we are able to balance these brain waves and allow them to return to a normalized state.
Yes, neurofeedback is a safe alternative to sleeping pills.
Sleeping pills, most often classified as “sedative hypnotics,” are a specific class of drugs used to induce and/or maintain sleep. While effective, these medications come with a large number of potential side effects and have been shown to cause problems with memory loss and attention in long-term users. In addition to being addicting, sleeping pills are often associated with overdose and suicidal thoughts. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that emergency room visits associated with sleeping pills doubled between 2005 and 2010. Finally, many studies have shown that sleeping pills, despite all of their risks, don’t work very well. The National Institute of Health analyzed several sleeping pill studies and found that patients on sleeping pills only slept an average of 12 to 30 minutes more per night. That’s not a lot of extra sleep, considering the risks.
Neurofeedback provides a long-term benefit for patients with sleep problems as the positive effects extend far beyond the in-person treatment timeline. Furthermore, neurofeedback therapy is drug-free, thus a side-effect-free treatment option for people who aren’t responding to or don’t want to take the risks of sleeping pills.
Yes, neurofeedback therapy is a clinically proven treatment for insomnia.
There are many research studies that show positive support for neurofeedback as a treatment for insomnia. Please see a few examples below, and don’t hesitate to contact MyBrainDr for additional information and studies.
Neurofeedback in ADHD and insomnia: Vigilance stabilization through sleep spindles and circadian networks.
“It is hypothesized that both Sensori-Motor Rhythm (SMR) and Slow-Cortical Potential (SCP) neurofeedback impact on the sleep spindle circuitry resulting in increased sleep spindle density, normalization of SOI and thereby affect the noradrenergic LC, resulting in vigilance stabilization. After SOI is normalized, improvements in ADHD symptoms will occur with a delayed onset of effect.”
“Therefore, clinical trials investigating new treatments in ADHD should include assessments at follow-up as their primary endpoint rather than assessments at outtake. Furthermore, an implication requiring further study is that neurofeedback could be stopped when SOI is normalized, which might result in fewer sessions.”
EEG Slow (∼1 Hz) Waves Are Associated With Nonstationarity of Thalamo-Cortical Sensory Processing in the Sleeping Human
“Overall, the amplitude of the evoked potential changed systematically, increasing and approaching wakefulness levels along the negative slope of the EEG oscillation and decaying below SWS average levels along the positive drift. These marked and fast changes of stimulus-correlated electrical activity involved both short (N20) and long latency (P60 and P100) components of SEPs.”
“In addition, the observed short-term response variability appeared to be centrally generated and specifically related to the evolution of the spontaneous oscillatory pattern. The present findings demonstrate that thalamocortical processing of sensory information is not stationary in the very short period (approximately 500 ms) during natural SWS.”
How do you know if this can help me or my loved one?
The first step is always a FREE Evaluation. During this one-on-one consultation, we will discuss your unique health history, current treatments, and if neurofeedback could be an effective treatment for you. No obligation. Call us at (919) 721-4800 or select the ‘FREE Evaluation’ button to schedule your FREE Evaluation today!